Centering device for metal bar stock and the like



Feb. 4, 1958 J. L. srERlss l E 2,821,789

CENTERING DEVICE Fox, METALBAR STOCK AND THE LIKE Feb. 4,1958` CENTERING nEvIcE Fox METAL BAR sTocK AND THE LIKE original Filed July 29., 1955- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l JNVENToR J oHNL'. S1-Emsa ATM/Mix Feb. 4&-1958 i J. l.. STERlss 2,821,789 l Y SENTERING DEVICE FOR ME'TM BAR sTocK AND-THE LIKE original Filed Julyzs '1955 4 sheets-sheet s J. L. STERISS Feb, 41958 CENTERING DEVICE FOR METAL BAR STOCK AND THE LIKE E Original Filed July 29, V1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Jol-1N L- renxss United States Patent O CENTERING DEVICE FOR METAL BAR STOCK AND THE LIKE John L. Steriss, New York, N. Y.

Substituted for abandoned application Serial No. 525,308, July 29, 1955. This application July 18, 1957, Serial No. 672,834

11 Claims. (Cl. S25- 191) When metal bar stock is to be worked in a lathe and sizes, without the use of measuring devices or gauges, 1"

and with the complete elimination of visual determinations or other steps that raise the possibility of human error.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be F had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a side elevational view.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevational view.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view.

Fig. 5 is a front end elevational view.

F Fig 6 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 6-6 of ig. F Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view on line 7--7 of Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 7, the parts being shown both in Figs. 7 and 8 in their initial or rest position.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5 in which the punch assembly has been engaged with a vise jaw 10 in the first step of the operation.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view on line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 isa reduced sectional view on line 11-11 of i Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional View similar to Fig. 1l.

The center finding and punching device includes a hat, rectangular base 10 supported in a horizontal plane above a supporting surface S by rear end corner posts or legs 12, fixedly secured to the base, and by a front end support plate 14 lying in a vertical plane and extending the full width of base 10, transversely of the same at the front end thereof. Plate 14 (Figs. 4 and 5) is bolted to and supported upon an elongated, horizontally disposed support bar 16 coplanar with plate 14 and having'apertured ends projecting outwardly beyond opposite ends of the support plate 14 (Figs. 2 and 4) to receive anchoring bolts extending into the surface S. The 'anchoring bolts may be dispensed with if desired, since 2,821,789 Patented Feb. 4, 1958 ICC it is not critical to successful operation of the device that it be anchored to its associated supporting surface.

Fixedly secured to and depending from opposite sides of base 10 immediately in back of support plate 14 are bearing plates 18 (Figs. 4 and 6) having smooth-walled bearing openings aligned transversely of tue base. A vise jaw adjusting screw 20 is journalled adjacent its ends in the bearing plate openings, has collars 21 (Fig. 4) bearing against the outer surfaces of the plates 18 to prevent axial shifting of the screw, and is manually rotated by a hand wheel 22 secured to one of its projecting ends laterally, outwardly from the adjacent side of the base.

For substantially half its length, screw 20 has threads of one hand, and for the remaining half threads of opposite hand. Threadedly engaged with the oppositely threaded screw portions are vertically disposed followers 24, 24 (Figs. 4 and 6) equidistantly spaced from the longitudinal center line of base 10 and movable toward or away from one another responsive to rotation of the screw in one or the other direction. Guide plates 26, 26 (Fig. 6) are secured by bolts 28 to opposite faces of each follower 24 and bear against the underside of base 1t). The upper ends of the followers project through registering slots 32, 34 disposed transversely of base 10 and respectively formed in the base and in a rectangular, flat work support plate or platform 30 overlying and fixedly secured to the front end of the base, as best shown in Fig. 2.

Sliding on platform 3i) and xedly secured to the respective followers for movement therewith are L-shaped vise jaws 36, 38 between which a work piece, not shown, supported on platform 30 will be clamped in a position aligned with the longitudinal center line of the base.

A combined quadrant and punch assembly generally designated 40, disposed adjacent the front end of the base, includes a rotatable quadrant 42, formed as a circular disc rotating in a vertical plane in an annular guide composed of a disc retainer 44 and a facing plate 46. Retainer 44 in cross section is of angular or L-shape, and is bolted at uniformly spaced locations about its circumference to the facing plate 46, which is welded or otherwise xedly attached at its lower portion to the base support plate 14. The retainer 44 and facing plate 46 thus cooperate to define a stationary, annular guide means for the quadrant disc 42, having an inwardly facing circumferential guide groove receiving the disc periphery.

Formed in the quadrant disc is a radial, wide punch guide slot 52 and extending through said slot (Fig. 8) is a punch guide sleeve 54 arranged normally to the plane of rotation of the quadrant disc and formed at its inner end with a square collar 56 the opposite sides of which seat in longitudinal guide recesses 58 (Fig. 12) extending the length of slot 52.

The outer end of the sleeve is threaded at 60, to engage a locking knob 62 the inner end of which may be turned home against the outer surface of the quadrant disc to bind collar 56 against the walls of the guide recesses 58 for locking the sleeve in selected positions to which it is adjusted along the length of the slot 52. The sleeve 54 has an end-to-end axial bore, and axially shiftable within said bore is a plunger or punch member 64 shown to its best advantage in Fig. 8. At its inner end, the plunger 64 has a conical tip 66 capable of being forced into the work when the center has been found, to mark the center point of the work. Circumposed about the outer end of the plunger 64, which projects outwardly beyond the outer end of the sleeve, it is compression coil spring 68, held under compression between the sleeve and a knob or anvil 70 pinned to the projecting end of the plunger.

A latch element or dog 72 is afxed to collar 56, and

has a locking notch 74 (Fig. 12) adapted to receive a horizontally projecting pin 76, carried (Fig. 8) by the vise jaw 38 and extending toward the quadrant disc.

The quadrant Vdisc may be rotated through ninety degrecs in either direction between its Figs. 5 .and 9 positions, engaging at opposite ends of its travel v,stop .pins 78, 8G projecting laterally, outwardly from the disc retainer 44.

Before being turned upon a lathe, a piece of bar stock, the center of which is to be found, is invariably burred at its end, but the burrs need not be removed. Clearance for the roughened portions of the stock is provided, instead, by cutting away the quadrant-confronting edge of platform 30 (Fig. 8) below pin 76 for a substantial distance as .shown at 82. Further, the clearance is provided not only for a roughened edge of the work, but also for the conical tip 66, which projects to a slight extent Vover the end edge of the plate 30, as shown in Fig. 11, with the point of the tip being disposed in the plane of thc top surface of said plate 30. A larger recess 84, formed in plate 30 medially between the opposite side edges thereof, communicates with the inner end of the clearance lrecess 82.

When the work is supported upon plate 30, at the end to be marked and punched, the other end of the work is supported upon a slide 86 (Figs. 2 and 6), having a top surface coplanar with that of the plate 30, and extending transversely of base Athe full width of the base. At its opposite ends, slide 86 is secured to guide flanges 88 slidably embracing the side edges of base 10, so that adjustment in the position of slide 86 can be made according to the length of the work.

In use, the parts will initially be in the positions thereof shown in Figs. 1-8. In the first step of finding and punching the center, the parts will be in their Figs. 9-12 position. Each of these positions will be discussed in turn.

When the parts are at rest, that is, awaiting use of the device, the quadrant disc will be disposed as best shown in Fig. 5, with its slot 52 vertical and handle 50 engaged against stop 80.

The vise jaws are adjusted outwardly from one another a distance sufficient to permit insertion of the work between them, and it will be assumed for the purpose of the immediate discussion that the work is of circular cross section.

The lock knob at this time will have been loosened, permitting free movement of the punch device along the length of slot 52.

One now, before shifting the vise jaws toward one another into work-clamping positions, rotates the quadrant disc, with the punch device grasped manually through the medium of knob 62 and shifted outwardly from the inner end of the slot 52. The disc is rotated from its Fig. 5 to its Fig. 9 positions, and while doing this, one locates the punch device along the length of slot 52 at a point which will cause the dog 72 to engage pin 76 as the quadrant disc reaches its Fig. 9 position. One may, in fact, whenever the device is not in use, leave the parts in their Fig. 9 position, with the punch device interengaged through the pin and notch means with the vise jaw 38, so that the punch device is free to travel horizontally along slot 52 during inward and outward movement of the jaw 38. Care should be taken in this event, however, not to lock the punch device against movement longitudinally of slot 52 by turning home the knob 62 under these circumstances, since any attempt to shift vise jaw 38 with the dog 72 engaged with pin 76 and the punch device locked against movement longitudinally of slot 52 may cause damage to the device.

In any event, with the punch device freely slidable along slot 52 and engaged with jaw 38 in the manner described above, one vnow positions the work upon the plate 30 and slide'86, with theend to be punched approximately tush -with-the -frontedges of the vise jaws, that is, with the front edge of the plate 30. The jaws are. now shifted toward one another to clamp the work, and of course, the work will be accurately centered between the opposite sides of the base by this operation. When the punch device is engaged with pin 76, the conical tip will be disposed at the exactpoint of intersection between the work-engaging, vertical face of jaw 38 and the horizontal plane of the top surface of .base 30. `Since the longitudinal -center line of the work is aligned with the longitudinal center line of the base when the work is clamped between the vise jaws, it will be apparent that the tip or point of the punch will under 'these circumstances be spaced away from a vertical plane, passing through the longitudinal center line or axis of thefwork, a distance equal to the radius of the work.

The knob 62 is now turned home to lock the punch device at the point to which it is moved along the length of slot 52 when the vise jaws were moved inwardly .toward one another to their maximum extent, into workclamping positions. One need now only grasp 'handle 50 and swing the same back into engagement with stop pin 80. This will cause the conical tip of the punch to travel through an arcuate path about a point disposed at the intersection of the horizontal plane of the to'p surface of work support plate 30, and a vertical plane passing through the axis of the work. Therefore, at the end 'of its arcuate travel, the conical tip will be at the exact center of the work. A hammer or like tool may be applied to strike the head 70 to shift the punch in an axial direction to force the tip into the end of the work piece, or alternatively, the at of the hand may be used. The center of the work end is thus accurately marked, and one may mark the other end of the work merely by reversing the work piece end for end, any loosening of the vise jaws during the reversal having no effect on the previously established position of the punch.

If a work piece of square cross section is to have its center point marked, the operation is identical to that performed when a cylindrical `work piece is involved.

If the work piece is of rectangular cross section, with its thickness or height unequal to its width or breadth, one need only, before ,forcing the punch into vthe work end, turn the work ninety degrees. This is due to Vthe fact that the line of measurement, established by adjustment of vise jaw 38 linto engagement with the side of the work with punch device engaged with pin v76, 4is horizontal. Accordingly, after the quadrant is turned ninety degrees to dispose its slot 52 vertically, the work must also be turned ninety degrees to conform.

The device can, of course, be used in marking the centers of other cross-sectional shapes, such as hexagonal, octagonal, or other polygonal stock.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that 1 do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in vthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1s:

1. The `device for finding the center of and punching the end of a bar stock work piece, comprising a stationarysupport for said work piece having a surface in a horizontal plane on which the Work piece may rest, means mounted on the support for rotation in a vertical planein opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axls extending Alongitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of lsaid axis and including a pointed punch member shiftable against the work piece in kselected Jpositions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the work piece, a pair of vise jaws having `work-piece-engagiug kfaces in .vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface 'for conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the punch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the work-piece-engaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal plane 0f said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said first-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked.

2. The device for finding the center of and punching the end of a bar stock work piece, comprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a horizontal plane on which the work piece may rest, means mounted on the support for rotation in a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed punch member shiftable against the work piece in selected positions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the work piece, apair of vise jaws having workpiece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the punch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device -is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the `work-piece-engaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal plane of said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuatepath through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said first-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, said first means being formed with a radially extending slot, said punch device being slidably engaged in said slot.

3. The device for finding the center of and punching ythe end of a bar stock work piece, comprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a horizontal plane on which the work piece may rest, means mounted on the support for rotation in a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed punch member shiftable against the work piece in selected positions to which the punch device is adjusted tomark the work piece, a pair of vise jaws having workpiece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of saidmeans toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the punch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the work-piece-engaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal plane of said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said iirst-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, the third means comprising a dog on the punch device formed with a notch, and a pin on said one jaw engageable in the said notch.

4. The device for finding the center of and punching the end of a bar stock work piece, comprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a horizontal plane on which the work piece may rest, means mounted on the support for rotation in a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed punch member shiftable against the work piece in -selected positions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the work piece, a pair of vise jaws having work-piece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface Ifor conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the punch device radially of said rst means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the work-piece-engaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal plane of said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said lirst-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, the punch member being shiftable axially along a line extending perpendicularly to the plane of rotation of said first means.

5. The device for finding the center of and punching the end of a bar stock work piece, comprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a horizontal plane on which the work piece may rest, means mounted on the support for rotation in a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed punch member shiftable against the work piece in selected positions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the work piece, a pair of vise jaws having workpiece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the punch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the work-pieceengaging face of said one jaw intersect-s with the horizontal plane of said support surface,.travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said firstnamed means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, said first means being formed with a radially extending slot, said punch device being slidably engaged in said slot, said punch device including a sleeve guided within said slot and having an end-to-end bore, the punch member being slidable within said bore.

6. The device for finding the center of and punching the end of a barfstock work-piececomprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a horizontal plane on which `the work piece may rest, means mounted on the supportffornrotation in `a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed punch member Vshiftable against the Work piece in selected positions to which the punch device `is adjusted to mark the work piece, a'pair of vise jaws having workpiece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement Ywith the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal ycenter line of the surface in each position to vwhich Vthey are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of thepunch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical ,plane of the workpiece-engaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal `plane of said support surface, travel of the point ofthe punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees iabout the axis of rotationof said first-named means rfollowing disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece -between the jaws, moving said :punch member to a ,location upon the work piece end atV which the center thereof may vbe marked, said first means being formed with aradially extending slot, said punch device being slidably engaged in said slot, said punch device including a sleeve guided within said slot and having an end-to-end bore, the punch member being slidable within said bore, the sleeve projecting outwardly from said rst means and having threads on its projecting portion, ythe punch device further including a lock nut'threadedly engaged with the projecting -portion of the sleeve and adapted to be turned home against said first means to lock the punch device in selected positions to which it is adjusted along the length of the slot.

7. The device for finding the center of and punching the end of a bar stock work piece, comprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a horizontal plane on which the work piece may rest, means mounted on the support `for rotation in a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinallygand centrally of the surface in saidrhorizontal plane, `a :punch device mounted on said means` for adjustmentfradially of said axis and including a-pointed punchmembershiftable againstfthe--workpiece j f in selected .positions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the workpiece, a pair of vise jaws having workpiece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of said means 4toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances lfrom the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the Vpunch device for Iadjustment of the punch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the workpiece-eugaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal plane of said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said first-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, said first means comprising a disc disposed beyond one end of said support and projecting above the plane of the work-supporting surface of the support.

8. The device for finding the center of and punching the end of abar stock work piece, comprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a hori zontal plane on which the work piece may rest, means mounted `on ,the support for rotation in a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed punch member shiftable against the work piece in selected positions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the work piece, a pair of vise jaws having work-piece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the Vpunch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device `is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with lthe point at which the vertical plane of the work-piece-engaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal plane of said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said first-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, said first means comprising a disc .disposed beyond one end of said support and projecting in saidlhorizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means :forgadjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed-punch memberzshiftable lagainst Vthe work piece in selected positions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the work piece, a pair of vise jaws having workpiece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the punch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the workpiece-engaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal plane of said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis V'of rotation of said first-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece betwen the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, said lirst means comprising a disc disposed beyond one end of said support and projecting above the plane Iof the work-supporting surface of the support, said support including a stationary, annular guide in which. the 4disc is rotatably engaged, the disc including a radial handle facilitating manual rotation of the same, said guide including angularly spaced stops engaging the handle to limit rotation of the disc in opposite directions.

10. The device for nding the center of and punching the end of a bar stock work piece, comprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a hori zontal plane on which the work piece may rest, means mounted on the support for rotation in a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed punch member shiftable against the work piece in selected positions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the work piece, a pair of vise jaws having workpiece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the punch device radially of said first means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch deviceis engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the work-piece-engaging face of said one jaw intersects with the horizontal plane of said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said irst-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, said second-named means of the vise jaws on the support including a screw journalled on the support and having end portions formed with threads of opposite hand, and followers threadedly engaged with said screw, the jaws being secured to said followers.

l1. The device for finding the center of and punching the end of a bar stock work piece, comprising a stationary support for said work piece having a surface in a. horizontal plane on which the work piece may rest, means mounted on the support for rotation in a vertical plane in opposite directions through ninety degrees about an axis extending longitudinally and centrally of the surface in said horizontal plane, a punch device mounted on said means for adjustment radially of said axis and including a pointed punch member shiftable against the work piece in selected positions to which the punch device is adjusted to mark the work piece, a pair of vise jaws having workpiece-engaging faces in vertical planes, means mounting said jaws on the surface for conjoint movement radially of said means toward and away from each other into and out of engagement with the stock and being disposed equal distances from the longitudinal center line of the surface in each position to which they are moved for aligning the longitudinal center line of the work piece with that of the surface, and means releasably interengaging one of said jaws with the punch device for adjustment of the punch device radially of said rst means with said one jaw, said punch member, when the punch device is engaged with said one jaw, having its point coincident with the point at which the vertical plane of the work-pieceengaging face of said one jaw intersects with the hori zontal plane of said support surface, travel of the point of the punch member through an arcuate path through ninety degrees about the axis of rotation of said first-named means following disengagement of the punch device from said one vise jaw after clamping of the work piece between the jaws, moving said punch member to a location upon the work piece end at which the center thereof may be marked, said support comprising a base, a flat work support plate carried by said base to support one end of the work piece, and a slidable rest on the base for supporting the other end of the work piece.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 48,018 Hall May 30, 1865 505,013 Webster Sept. 12, 1893 506,722 Piper Oct. 17, 1893 517,817 Whiton Nov. 24, 1896 

